Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 03/01/2017 PreS-Gr 2—The illustrations tell the story in this subtle, heartwarming, nearly wordless picture book. The tale opens with a moving van parked in front of a house, and readers see a boy sitting beneath a huge tree in his new yard, engrossed in a book called Living in Trees. His neighbor, a girl, timidly watches him, first through a window, then peering over the fence that separates their two yards. When the boy dismantles a piece of the fence and uses the wood to begin building a tree house, the girl takes advantage of the opening (both literal and figurative) to climb up after him and help. As in his lovely wordless picture book Float, Miyares's pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations rely primarily on a soft gray palette that quietly focuses the eye on the characters and their actions and expressions. As construction of the tree house progresses, the tree's foliage and surroundings take on color, including a brilliant yellow sky that complements the children's joy at completing their project together. From the beautifully constructed spreads to the perfect pacing and satisfying conclusion, this simple story of new friendship and joint accomplishment is a pleasure. VERDICT Highly recommended for all picture book collections.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2017 A young boy wants to build a tree house. He reads up on the topic and gathers materials, but the project does not go well. Next door, a girl has been observing him. She gets her hammer and comes over to help, and by the end of the day, the two have become friends. Full-bleed, two-page spreads, wordless except for a simple greeting of “hi,” showcase the ink-and-watercolor illustrations. The pictures initially are black and white, but when the children decide to work together, the first spots of color appear in the tree’s leaves. As the girl sorts out the plans and they start construction, more leaves take on colors, and the sky becomes sunny yellow. Although the children share juice boxes, the time period is vague, and the other images have an old-fashioned flavor. The final spread echoes the beginning, showing the children waving good night from windows in their houses, the tree house now finished in the yard between them. A gentle story of friendship and cooperation, elevated by appealing visual detail. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.